


we are the pretty guardians

by rainny_days



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Psychics/Psionics, BAMF!Aiba, BAMF!Jun, BAMF!Nino, BAMF!Ohno, BAMF!Sho, Comedy, Enemies to Friends, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, M/M, No Plot/Plotless, Slow Burn, So take that as you will, i don't understand it either, ish, look it's a slow burn but they act gross all the time, mostly - Freeform, stress writing, vaguely inspired by a certain magical index, yes i wrote a high school fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-04 07:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14587779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainny_days/pseuds/rainny_days
Summary: Five teenage Espers are chosen to form the newest Judgement group.Not all of them are happy about it.





	1. Jun

**Author's Note:**

> hey guess what i found in my old google drive ff folder?? that's right an teenage superpowered arashi fic.

****Jun didn't consider himself a nervous person, but the heavy mahogany doors of Headmaster Johnny's office filled him with a kind of anxiety that he hadn't felt in a while. He didn't _think_ he was in trouble, at least, though he also didn't know what other reason there would've been for him to be called to the headmaster's office.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the heavy wooden doors.

"Hello?"

There was already someone in the office, neat dark hair peeking up from a plush armchair. The boy turned around, and Jun found himself staring.

"Oh, hi," said _Sakurai Sho_ , holy shit, what was the _Police Captain’s kid_ , the most powerful psychometrer in the school and very nearly in _Japan_ , doing here?

"Did you get called here, too?" he continued, and Jun forced his expression into normality, not wanting to look like just another fanboy.

"Yeah, do you know why we're here?" he asked, hoping he sounded relatively calm. Sakurai-san shook his head.

"I only know that we're supposed to wait for Headmaster Johnny," he said apologetically, "would you like to sit?"

He gestured at the other armchairs in the room, as well as a rich red couch. Jun flushed, realising that he'd been frozen in place, and walked to a chair across the room, sinking into it.

A silence fell over them, Sakurai-san turning his face back to the notebook he had in his hand, and Jun trying desperately to not fidget. Just when he was at his limit, almost about to break the awkward quiet, the door swung open again. He swung his head around, looking at the new occupant. It wasn't the principal, but the tanned boy looked strangely familiar still.

"Ohno-san?" Sakurai-san said, after a beat of silence, and Jun gave a slight start, remembering. _Ohno Satoshi_ , another prodigy. An Acoustokinetic, able to use his voice to emit frequencies and sound waves that could do anything from destroying buildings to lulling people to sleep. The older boy's control was legendary, and his power was unprecedented. The only catch, said the teachers, was his lack of work ethic or ambition.

Looking at him, Jun could see why they would say that. The stocky teen was round-faced and sleepy-eyed, in a way that seemed like he couldn't focus on anything if he'd tried. Jun couldn't help but feel a bit...cheated? By the boy who looked like he'd never worked a day in his life. But the jealousy faded as soon as it came, as Ohno gave Sakurai-san a small smile, looking so child-like that it was impossible to resent him.

"Sho-chan," he said, voice soft, and Jun blinked, because he hadn't known that the two seniors were so close. Sakurai-san didn't look surprised, though, and gave a him a fond smile.

"Sit down, Ohno-san, I expect you've been called here, too?"

The other nodded, sinking into the sofa, already looking half-asleep. "I was working on a painting..."

"Didn't you have vocal practise?"

A shrug, "They let me go early." A yawn.

Sakurai-san frowned, but before he could comment, the door swung open with a imperiousness that drew their attentions like moths to a flame. This time, Jun didn't have any trouble recognising the two striding into the room.

He heard Sakurai-san choke slightly, and could sympathise with the sentiment. Standing in the doorway were two boys, a study in contrasts: one tall and muscular, olive skin and sun-kissed hair framing crinkled eyes and a wide grin, and the other petite and pale, suspicious hazel eyes fringed by dark bangs set above a slash of smirk like a knife's blade.

Aiba Masaki and Ninomiya Kazunari. What the _fuck_.

Aiba's eyes met Jun's almost immediately, his smile stretching impossibly wide.

"Matsujun!" he said, all impossible cheer, "I didn't know you'd be here! That must mean we're not in trouble!"

Jun smiled back despite himself, because that was how Aiba was. The boy was filled with so much warmth and good humor that it was impossible not to like him, at least a little. Even if he _was_ an idiot. They'd only briefly known each other from a single shared class, yet Aiba always acted as if they were good friends. Jun wouldn't have minded, really (though he'd never admit it), if it weren't for the boy by his side.

"Please, Masaki, don't stroke pretty boy's ego- it's not as if it could get any bigger, anyways."

As quickly as Aiba's words brought his mood up, the other boy's words brought them plummeting yet again.

 _Ninomiya Kazunari_.

The name was infamous on campus. The telepath with the ability to control others. All it took was eye contact - not even that, if rumors were to be believed - and he could slip his ideas, his orders, his consciousness into yours, making you utterly under his control. It was terrifying, and what he'd _done_ with his power...

Well, there was a reason most of the students gave him a wide berth. Not that he attended school enough for anyone to get too close, anyways- it was a mystery how Aiba managed to make nice with the deadly boy. And Aiba's position as Ninomiya's right-hand man was what made him ostracised in the school, albeit to a lesser extent. There was nobody in the school willing to get anywhere near Ninomiya, and by extension, anyone close to him. It would almost be pitiful, if the teen hadn't brought it upon himself.

Jun held back a snarl, not wanting to lose his temper in the office. Sakurai-san looked panicked, eyes flicking everywhere as if he were trying to find escape routes. Ohno looked up with startling recognition - and something else? - in his eyes.

"Nino!" he said, more enthusiastic than anything Jun'd heard from him this entire time, and he boggled as _Ninomiya_ almost... _perked up_ , eyes locking onto Ohno's like a homing beacon.

"Oh-chan!"

What.

Jun made a strangled noise, and Sakurai seemed to echo it in commiseration. Ninomiya disregarded them, stepping over to where Ohno was sitting with something almost like a real smile on his face. Aiba beamed from a step away, waving.

"Hey, Oh-chan! I didn't know you got called, too! D'you know why we're here?"

"Of course he doesn't," snapped Ninomiya, tone much less sharp than what he used on Jun. Jun could only watch in mesmerised horror as the young boy climbed onto the couch beside Ohno, so close that they were a millimetre from _snuggling_ , and promptly _wrapped an arm around the older boy's shoulders_.

Ninomiya's gaze swept over Sakurai and his faces, and his smirk grew impossibly wider. In that moment, Jun could almost forget how wary he was of the teen, because he was too busy being irritated at how _bratty_ he was being. Ninomiya seemed to catch this thought, and gave him a half-lidded look that was equal parts smug and condescending. Ninomiya opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Aiba flopping into the space next to the Ohno-Nino cuddle.

"Jesus, Masaki, be less delicate, would you?" Ninomiya said, rolling his eyes heavenward. Aiba beamed at him and leaned to whisper something in his ear, making Ninomiya snort with laughter that cut short when a figure stepped into the room.

"I see you're all here," he said, "good."

Sakurai-san and Jun snapped into attention, jumping to their feet and giving respectful bows. Ohno seemed to start to follow, but was held in place by Nino, who was snorting derisively at the sight. Aiba just turned around and gave a cheerful wave.

“Headmaster Johnny!” he greeted cheerfully. “What’s going on? Why are we here? Why are Matsujun-chan and Sho-kun-” - _‘Sho-kun?’_ Sakurai-san mouthed incredulously - “and Oh-chan here? Nino and I were being good!”

Jun had a feeling that _that_ was a blatant lie- a feeling confirmed when Nino’s smirk lifted with amusement at his partner’s words.

“Yeah, Johnny, we were being- well, as good as we get.” He said, effectively stopping Aiba’s torrent of words. “Why did you call us and the honor students here? Some kind of rehabilitation program?”

_Oh god, please no._

“No,” the Headmaster told them. Jun sighed in relief, and Sakurai-san’s shoulders untensed beside him.

He continued: “I called you here because I want you to form a new Judgement unit.”

* * *

There was a moment of perfect silence, and then-

“I’m sorry, _what_?”

Jun blinked in surprise, looking over at Sakurai-san. He was staring at Headmaster Johnny in disbelief, a sentiment that Jun could perfectly understand. Less so, though, were the way his hands clenched at his sides.

“Honors-boy is right,” Ninomiya said, recovering his look of flat annoyance. “And that’s something I never thought I would say, so congratulations for _that_ minor miracle. But seriously, I can understand _them-_ ” He waved at Jun and Sakurai-san, lingering a little more when he got to Ohno. “ -but _us_?”

He gestured at him and Aiba, and Jun agreed with him wholeheartedly. Somehow, this situation seemed to make strange bedfellows of them all.

“On the contrary, I think that you two are uniquely suited for this job,” Headmaster Johnny corrected, and Jun had a wild moment of wondering if the he fell and got a concussion, or had a breakdown, or _something_ . Thinking that Aiba and Ninomiya were suitable candidates for _enforcing_ the law? These were not the actions of a rational human being.

“...like, the police?” Ohno finally said, a full minute too late. Sakurai looked at him, exasperated but fond.

“Not quite, Ohno-san- Judgement are regulatory units used to detain ability-users, they don't really have anything to do with actually solving any crimes.”

“Let’s just call it what it is- making child soldiers,” Ninomiya said bluntly. “Rounding up teenagers who happen to be good at shooting a few sparks out of their fingers-”

Jun bristled- “Would you like me to _show_ you some sparks?”

“- and placing them into mortal danger, while everyone praises them for what a great service to the community that they’re doing.” Ninomiya finished, ignoring him.

Headmaster Johnny looked, for the first time in the conversation - and ever, as far as Jun could tell - slightly perturbed.

“Rest assured, you will have fully sufficient safety nets for your missions- you won’t be sent wildly into danger.” his expression smoothed over. “Either way, I can give you a week to make your decision, so there’s no need to worry right now.”

He smiles at all of them, receiving nothing but blank looks and annoyance in return. “It’s a wonderful opportunity. I truly do hope that you’ll take it.”

At that signal, everyone began to rise- except Ninomiya, who remained slouched in his seat, assessing. Jun paused, looked at him.

After a pause, Nino asked slowly:

“A wonderful opportunity for who?”

Then he stood up, walking briskly out of the room with nothing more than a “Later, Oh-chan” flung behind him. Aiba followed him, looking completely untouched by the choice that laid before him. Sakurai looked puzzled as he left as well, brows furrowed in thought, and Ohno just looked a little like somebody had hit him over the head.

Jun was the last one out, closing the door behind him and watching the Headmaster settle into his seat, powerful and dignified. He didn't know what the others would do - though he could guess - but he already had his answer.

Jun had spent his whole life in pursuit of becoming someone who mattered, someone who made a mark on the world. This was the first step to that goal, handed to him on a silver platter.

 _This is a opportunity_ , Headmaster Johnny had said, and he wasn't about to waste it.


	2. Ohno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man i should edit these at some point

****After Johnny’s offer, Ohno did what he usually did in the wake of a momentous event- carry on as usual.

The next morning, he rolled out of bed too late to make first period, as usual, and decided to go to the empty art studio hidden in the corner of the school instead, as usual. There, he found Nino curled up at a window, skipping his own classes.

This wasn't new, or even uncommon, but the Nino of today had a tense energy about him that Ohno’d never felt from him before, brows furrowed and eyes distant.

Ohno walked over with silent footsteps, casting a shadow over Nino, who looked up in suppressed surprise. He was like that- never allowing himself to show his emotions fully, always trying to hold something back. Ohno had never had to try as hard at anything as he did at trying to understand Nino.

“Oh-chan,” Nino said, eyes clearing up a little, wrinkling at the corners as he smiled at Ohno. Ohno blinked at his smile, struck as he always was by its sudden sweetness.

“Nino,” he replied, continuing to stare. They looked at each other for a moment, silence hanging between them, before Nino spoke again, a little hurriedly.

“So-” he looked uncertain, for a moment, and Ohno was so shocked at the rare expression that he barely caught his next, determined, words. “Are you going to go along with Johnny?”

Ohno looked at his expression, stubborn and a little wary, and thought about his next words carefully.

“I...don't know why he picked me.” he said truthfully at last. Ohno was aware of his abilities - it was hard not to be, when that seemed to be the only thing that people wanted to talk about - but he never really wanted to _do_ anything with his powers, never even had any concrete idea of if he liked them or not. Most of the time, he used his powers because people seemed to insist on it, and he didn't mind going along with them. He couldn't imagine joining Judgement with such half-assed ambitions.

Nino raised an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged. “I’d rather draw.”

Nino let out a startled giggle at that, looking briefly delighted.

“I would _love_ to see how our dear Headmaster reacts to _that_ ,” he said, pulling himself together. Ohno smiled at his smile, before it faded into confusion again.

“I told him, though,” he admitted. “That I want to go to an arts college after this, not any abilities training. He told me it was fine, but...”

He trailed off desolately, and Nino’s eyes sharpened in anger. “Of fucking course,” he spat out. “He probably roped you in on this bullshit because he realised that he couldn't keep you under his thumb any other way. Manipulative _bastard_.”

Ohno started at the sheer vitriol in his voice- he knew, of course, that Nino wasn't _fond_ of the Headmaster, but mild annoyance was a wholly different beast than the sharp loathing that seemed to fill him now.

Nino was looking at him now, bright-eyed.

“You don't have to do anything you don't want to,” he said, fierce. “I won't let them.”

Ohno reached out, cupping a hand over his cheek, making Nino jolt in surprise, then flushing pink.

“What about you?” he asked. “What will you do?”

Nino pursed his lips, eyes flickering towards him and then away. With a heavy movement, he turned his face away. “I’m joining. I don't- I can't _not_.”

Ohno had no idea what he meant, or why he sounded so wretched, but he knew that Nino was trying to protect him, and knew that he wanted to protect Nino in return.

“Then I’m joining, too.” he said, understanding now the fierceness in Nino’s voice. “I’m staying with you.”

And if he’d had any doubts, any at all, the look on Nino’s face then would’ve blown them all away.

* * *

 

"Kaa-chan, I think I'm going to join Judgement."

His mother looked over at him briefly, face hard to read.

"Well, this is unexpected; I don't think you've ever shown any particular interest in police work. What brought this on?"

Her voice was deliberately light, but her eyes were sharp and observant. Ohno inwardly winced- she and Nino would get along like a house on fire.

He put his rice down, "I want to be with my friend," he said honestly- there was no point in trying to lie to his mother, since she knew just about everything - "he's going to join, too."

"A friend?" his mother said, and there was something he couldn't recognise in her tone.

Ohno nodded, "His name's Nino," he continued nonetheless, "he's really funny- and he has a cute laugh. He really likes games, just like you. He also has cute hands? And  he gets embarrassed a lot- like when I call him cute. He brings me food a lot- I really like him."

His mother stared at him for a moment, in brief shock at his uncharacteristic barrage of words, before her expression settled into contemplation.

"I can see that," she said finally, and there was a note of something in her voice that Ohno couldn't quite grasp. "He sounds lovely. You have to invite him over sometime."

Ohno thought about it for a moment, shaking his head absentmindedly.

"I don't think he's the type to come over," he said, picking up his food again, "he's a bit shy."

 _Shy_ wasn't exactly the most accurate word to describe Nino- _Antisocial_ , maybe, or _grumpy._

His mother didn't reply, but she had a look on her face that meant she was scheming. Ohno ducked his head down and pretended not to have seen the look- plausible deniability was always the best option when his mom got _that_ look on her face.

* * *

****Sho cornered him after class the next day, and Ohno blinked at the sight of the sloping shoulders suddenly making an appearance above where he'd begun to nap.

"Ohno-san," he said seriously, and Ohno looked up at him, attempting to imitate his stern look, although it was difficult in his drowsy state.

"The deadline of the offer is tomorrow, Ohno-san. You need to start thinking seriously about your choice-"

"Hm? Oh! I'm joining."

"What?" Sho said, looking off-balance by Ohno's quick answer. Ohno repeated his words again, more slowly, in case the other boy had trouble hearing him.

"You've...decided to join?" he said slowly, and looked even more confused when Ohno nodded. "When did- Ohno-san, have you thought this through properly?"

Ohno looked back at him, not sure what Sho was trying to say.

"I want to join," he repeated, because he didn't know how else to reply. Sho closed his eyes briefly, tilting his head heavenward the way his mother used to do sometimes when Ohno would fingerpaint on the walls.

"Ohno-san," he said deliberately, " _Why_ do you want to join?"

Ohno blinked at him- wasn't it obvious?

"Because Nino's joining," he replied, and Sho seemed to choke a little, yes going wide and face falling into a state of almost comical shock. Ohno had the sudden desire to draw this Sho, all wide eyes and confusion, but decided that it might be rude.

"You...want to join a dangerous organisation because Ninomiya is join- wait, _Ninomiya_ is joining?"

Ohno nodded, thinking that Sho wasn't great at listening- maybe he was tired from classes?

"You can sleep in the music room during period 1," he offered, but Sho only gave him a strange look before his eyes drifted into thought.

"Do you know _why_ Ninomiya is joining?" he asked, and there was a question in his voice that Ohno couldn't identify. Sho was a little strange like that - face like an open book sometimes, a complete mystery at others.

Ohno shrugged, "he didn't say why," he said vaguely. Somehow, it felt like it would be wrong to tell Sho about Nino's quiet voice, the implications in his tone. Nino never said that he _couldn't_ tell anyone, but that morning was _theirs_ , and it felt strangely wrong to tell anyone else about it.

Sho seemed to take him at face value, though, and nodded thoughtfully as he processed Ohno's words.

"If Ninomiya's joining, Aiba should be joining too..." he continued, still deep in thought.

Ohno nodded, "Probably, they're good friends, right?"

Sho looked a little confused for a moment: "I...don't know if you can call them _friends_ , exactly. I think that Aiba's the closest thing Ninomiya _has_ to a friend. I mean- can you imagine him having an _actual_ friend?"

" _I'm_ his friend," Ohno blurted, without conscious thought, and he couldn't figure out why he felt such a compulsion to say it- it wasn't that big of a deal, after all. Sho looked surprised at his unstereotypical outburst.

"You...are." he said, slowly, and looked and Ohno strangely.

It felt a little like he was changing his opinion of him, although he didn't understand why.

* * *

On the day of the deadline, it wasn't Nino who came to get him.

It was Aiba.

Ohno hadn't really talked to the younger boy before, although Nino had occasionally mentioned him when they were talking in the mornings. From what he gathered Aiba seemed like a really good person, if a little dense.

"A bit like Oh-chan," Nino said, his smile the fond, gentle curve that Ohno never got tired of seeing, "I think that I'm some kind of a magnet for airheads - I'm way too soft on you guys."

Ohno had to giggle quietly, then, because there were a thousands words that could be used to describe Nino, but _soft_ wasn't usually one of them.

Nino had glanced over then, sunlight hitting his body and smoothing down the sharp edges of his body. Ohno had wanted to draw him like that, to keep this Nino on paper forever, to etch his face into his mind until he couldn't see anything else.

But today, the person who walked in the morning wasn't Nino- he was much taller, loping into the room with a crackling energy that jarred the normal calm of the room.

"Hey, Oh-chan!" he said, and any ill will Ohno might've been prepared to feel for him not being Nino dissipated immediately at the other boy's easy good humor. Looking at his smile, Ohno could see why he was Nino's friend.

"Nino-chan told me that you'd be here- he's already at Johnny-san's. I think Sho-chan and Matsujun are being called down too- he said that you might forget. Oh! If you forgot- I'm Aiba Masaki. Nino's friend?"

Ohno blinked, then beamed at the younger boy.

"Aiba-chan," he said, and Aiba sparkled back, grinning, before grabbing his hand and beginning to pull him towards the door.

"I wanted to meet you sooner, you know," he was saying as they walked, an easy steam of chatter that Ohno let wash over him, "but Nino told me that if I went, there would be too high a concentration of idiot in one place. I think that he just wanted to keep you to himself- he's way too possessive, right?"

He didn't wait for an answer before going on, "he said that you liked my cooking- which one is your favorite? I can make more if you want. I'm thinking of making spaghetti custard- do you think I should use the wheelbarrow-type noodles or the regular noodles? Nino said that it'll be nasty either way, but he just has no palate."

He looked over at Ohno expectantly, and Ohno had to process the stream of words more slowly before answering.

"I like the wheelbarrows," he offered softly, and Aiba grinned at him.

"You and Nino really suit each other," Aiba told him cheerfully, "You two are both really 'my pace'."

Ohno shrugged with the arm that wasn't being pulled- people told him stuff like that a lot, saying that he seemed to be in his own world, or that he was disconnected from his surroundings. To be honest, it was mostly that he saw no point in doing things that others told him to do just because they wanted him to. His mom always said that life was too short to not do what you wanted, and it was something that Ohno had took to heart. He usually didn't mind following instructions if he didn't have anything he'd rather do, but if it didn't hurt anyone, he saw no harm in doing whatever he felt like. One of his old art teachers had told him that he was simultaneously the most easygoing and most stubborn person he'd ever met.

Aiba was still talking, not seeming to have noticed Ohno drifting off, "-and we can wear matching uniforms! We'll have color-coded ties and be like superheros! I'll be green, because green's the color of _science_ ," - Ohno wondered vaguely why, exactly, green was equivalent to science - "Matsujun can be purple, 'cos purple is super fancy and Matsujun is kinda princely, isn't he? And Sho-chan can be..." he trailed off, looking thoughtful.

"Sho-chan would be red," Ohno said quietly, thinking of his impression of his classmate, "like a stop sign, or a firetruck." Because he always gave the impression of a hearth, sturdy red bricks surrounding a core of bright fire.

Aiba looked ecstatic- "That's _perfect_!" he said, face lighting up, "so Sho-chan'll be red, and you seem kinda blue-y, and Nino is greyish, all cool and mysterious and morally ambiguous - at least, that’s what he says."

Ohno thought about Nino in the mornings, the sun lighting golden streaks in his hair and across his skin. He thought about Nino's softness, and his smiles. The kind of fondness that caught in his voice and seeped into the sound of his laughter- his real laugh, high and boyish and infectious. He thought about the flush of his cheeks when he was pleased or embarrassed, his sharp edges veiling his quiet kindness. He thought about how secretive he was, even with people he trusted, how protective. How Nino could be both warm and sweet and distant and searingly sharp, without seeming like two different people.

"I think he's more yellow-ish, really," he murmured, not quite consciously. Yellow, like lightning, there and gone. Dangerous and beautiful and uncontrollable. Like the sun on a summer day, warm and precious and comfortable.

Aiba turned towards him and paused, making Ohno stumble slightly, looking over at him with uncharacteristically serious intensity.

"That's what I thought of at first, too," he said, something in his voice that reminded Ohno of his mother, of Sho, "but Nino said that yellow didn't suit him. I guess we know better, right?"

Something about his words made Ohno feel like he'd just passed some sort of test. He wondered how anyone could think Aiba was stupid, when he could look at you like he knew every secret you'd ever known. He nodded at the younger boy, who smiled back, and began to tug him along once more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gay


	3. Aiba

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy fuck this is long

****The look on Matsujun’s face, reflected Masaki, was the kind of picture-perfect expression that could be used to invoke _schadenfreude_.

Sho-chan, on the other hand, looked unsurprised at their appearance, which was probably on Oh-chan (he glanced over at Nino, already in his seat, giving himself a point at the predictable lingering grumpiness at the edge of his eyes at Sho’s lack of reaction), and only spared them a glance before looking back down at his- classical literature textbook. Forget boring, Masaki was pretty sure that Sho was actually some kind of robot. A _studying_ robot.

Masaki was pulled out of his fantasy about a shiny cyborg Sho, defeating villains by lulling them to sleep with economics jargon and then whacking them over the head with a politics textbook, by Nino's droll voice.

“Masaki, you’re loud,” he said. “how is it that you're incapable of doing something like _walking through a door_ quietly?"

Masaki stuck his tongue out, but Nino’s gaze was already sliding over him and falling on where his hand was linked with Oh-chan’s, rising to meet the other boy’s eyes. Masaki rolled his eyes at the way his friend visibly brightened - or, well, visibly to _him_. Nino suppressed his initial reaction within the span of a second, eyes lighting up then forcibly dimming into normalcy, an eyebrow raising in greeting instead.

“Oh-chan.”

Masaki fought the urge to coo- it was _so nice_ that Nino finally found true love in his heart, beneath all the porcupine-spikes and snark.

Sho-chan looked less enthused by the True Love playing out in front of him.

“Ohno-san,” he interrupted, breaking the eye contact between Oh-chan and Nino.

“Sho-chan, you came,” Oh-chan said, face crinkling into a smile. Nino looked positively _green_ at that, and Masaki wished he could get his phone out to take a picture. He would have to teleport away immediately after, though- maybe stay in a foreign country for a while.

Nah, not worth it.

Instead, Masaki pulled Oh-chan towards the couch Nino was sitting on, falling beside him and tucking the older boy on his other side, because he’s the _best_ _wingman ever_.

Nino, typically, didn't outwardly acknowledge Masaki’s act of altruism at all, only slipping an arm around Oh-chan and tucking him almost imperceptibly closer. Below the couch, Masaki felt a smaller, leather toe poke him in the ankle, and he grinned over at Nino and gave him a thumbs up, in acknowledgement of his friend’s unspoken thanks. Nino rolled his eyes, looking exasperated until his gaze slid over to Sho-chan, at which point he smirked with amusement.

Masaki followed his gaze, and stifled a giggle in his palm. Sho-chan’s _face_ , this was so much better than any look of shock- this was _traumatized_!Sho, and it was _beautiful_. Even if Masaki wasn't a believer of True Love, he would support the Ohno-Nino relationship (OhNi? OhNino?) just for the potential of future Sho-chan trauma.

Man, with Sho-chan’s hilarious trauma, Nino’s pure evil, Ohno’s complete pokerface (Masaki was half-sure it was on purpose, and he was duly impressed), Matsujun’s fiery temper and Masaki’s own stroking of the (metaphorical) flames, this Judgement thing was shaping up to be _way_ more fun than he expected.

“Sho-chan, don't look like that, how can you be so cruel in the face of True Love?” he scolded, biting back laughter. Nino snorted beside him, and shifted imperceptibly.

“Yeah, _Sho-chan_ , speaking of-”

His voice turned sugar-sweet, making Masaki grin reflexively in anticipation. Masaki couldn't help the bubble of laughter at Sho’s small jump, and he bumped his shoulder against Nino’s. _Don't be too hard on Sho-chan, he’s_ delicate.

Nino bumped back. _He’s a wimp, and I’m going to fuck with him_ so hard.

"I'm  _so glad_ that you've been taking care of Oh-chan, even if you don't approve of our Pure and Good Love," he simpered, and Masaki covered his mouth. At this rate, he would break a rib. "I mean, he _is_ a bit of a handful."

At that, Oh-chan’s head poked up slightly, the very picture of crushed innocence.

"Nino-chan is so unfair," he said dramatically, eyes huge and limpid, "I thought you would accept every part of me!"

"I love all of Oh-chan," Nino told him warmly, clasping their hands together earnestly. Masaki folded over in laughter, tumbling onto the ground with the force of his laughter. Neither Nino nor Oh-chan so much as glanced at him.

"I can't trust anything you say anymore. Nino has broken my heart!"

"What about the promises we exchanged?" Nino replied, pitching his voice a shade sadder and ducking his head, looking genuinely heartbroken. If the whole criminal mastermind thing didn't work out for him, Nino had a great acting career going for him. "Don't you believe that we're meant to be?"

Then he reached out and _cupped Ohno’s cheek_ , turning the older boy’s face towards his. Masaki wolf-whistled, impressed at his friend’s game, and got a kick to his shoulder in return, Nino’s expression remaining completely unchanged.

“Oh-chan,” he murmured, and leant in-

Sho made a sound like he’d just walked in on them mid-blowjob, a strangled noise somehow both too high and too low.

Then the door opened behind him.

Masaki grinned at the sight of Jun - because who else would it be, Matsujun carried with him a certain _je ne sais quoi_ , not to mention his very distinctive rich-boy cologne - and drank in the beautiful, _beautiful_ expression on his face. Not that Masaki could blame him- it was hard for anybody _not_ to react with that face at the sight of the room: Masaki, kneeled over with helpless laughter; Sho-chan, face comically horrified; and Nino, all but straddling Oh-chan, their faces a breath away from each other.

“Good timing, Matsujun!” he gasped out, barely legible through the force of his laughter. He bent over again at another wave of giggles, catching Ohno bury his own laughter in Nino’s neck out of the corner of his eye. He grinned at Nino, who spared a moment from his smug triumph to glare back.

"...the _hell_ ?" Matsujun finally choked out, sounding _beautifully_ strangled. Masaki could faintly hear Sho-chan's quiet, reluctantly amused sound from behind him.

"That's what I want to know," he said, and Masaki swept his gaze over everyone in the room, gauging their reactions. Matsujun seemed to be making involuntary choked noises from the back of his throat, eyes flickering between Oh-chan and Nino, with an occasional pleading glance at Sho that was answered with helplessness tinged with amusement from the older boy. His body seemed to be torn between retreating and hiding in the corner. Nino turned to grin widely at him, showing his teeth.

"This is what you'll be stuck with," he hissed, glee coloring his voice, "For the _rest of your school life_."

Masaki smoothed his face over with poker-faced cheer, feeling his elation fade slightly as Matsujun paled, looking somewhere in the region of Nino with horrified eyes, still refusing to meet Nino’s gaze. Okay, _that_ was annoying.

"I didn't expect _you_ , of all people, to accept Headmaster Johnny's offer." Matsujun said to the air above Nino, eliciting an eye-roll from Masaki that Oh-chan caught, prompting a small frown of confusion. Masaki quickly rearranged his face back into normalcy, grinning widely at the older boy, who stared at him with shrewd eyes for a few beats before turning back to Matsujun.

Anybody who thought that Ohno Satoshi was unobservant was evidently not too great with their perception skills themselves, the man was _sharp_.

Nino fluttered his lashes at Matsujun in reply, speaking in a sugar-sweet voice, "And cause trouble to our wonderful headmaster? How _could_ I?"

Across the room, Sho-chan snorted, earning an approving glance from Nino. Masaki gave him a thumbs-up- he had a feeling that the older boy didn't have a stick up his ass as big as Nino made it out to be, even if he _was_ potentially a study cyborg.

And besides, his trauma-face was one for the books.

On the other hand, apparently the stick up Matsujun’s ass was exactly as big as Nino made it out to be- at least, when it came to interacting with Nino. He glared at Nino’s nose, and Nino smirked in response. Masaki was torn between amusement and an (easily quashable) desire to tell him that he was just making things worse for himself- Nino _loved_ the feisty ones.

Actually, so did Masaki.

"Where _is_ the headmaster, anyways?" Matsujun asked, directing his words at Sho-chan now- Masaki was mildly disappointed: it would’ve been _fun_ to see a showdown in the headmaster’s office.

The force of Nino’s derision could power planets, Masaki thought, as he looked scornfully at their peer. Masaki could _read_ the ‘ _of course he'd turn to his beloved Sakurai-senpai’_ written on Nino’s features.

Sho-chan shrugged, closing his textbook. "He wasn't here when I came," he answered, and Nino interjected with:

"Yeah, he does that a lot- not being where he's supposed to be."

"That's us, too..." Masaki commented, at the same time that Matsujun retorts with "Because you know _so much_ about the headmaster's comings and goings."

Nino pointed to himself, "Delinquent, remember? I bet that I've seen the inside of this office waaayyy more than _you_ have, your majesty."

Masaki saw Jun's fists clench and opened his mouth to fuel the fire- but then Ohno touched Nino’s waist, soft, and Nino turned to him like a flower towards the sun.

"Nino," Ohno said simply, and Masaki saw Nino settling under his touch in a way that he’d never seen him do except for Masaki, saw the unsettled look on his face, like he couldn’t figure out _why_ he was calming down but was helpless to to so anyways. Masaki could admit to a small pang of jealousy at that, because Nino was _his_ best friend, no matter how well Nino and Ohno had clicked, but he sweeps it away, easily as breathing, beneath the wave of gratitude at the quiet affection in Ohno’s voice as he says:

"But since Jun-kun's here, it must mean that he's amazing, right?"

Matsujun flushed pink at that, looking years younger, and that, more than anything else, makes up Masaki’s mind.

"No- I'm not really-" he said, surprisingly awkward, and Masaki jumped in, ignoring the look of betrayal on Nino’s face.

"Of course he is!" he declared loudly, "Matsujun's _amazing_ , I saw him practice once, and it was like _fwoosh_ ! _Bang!_ And then it was like-" Masaki continued to make increasingly improbable noises, giving himself an internal pat on the back at the way the tension in the room dissipated.

Sho-chan looked relieved, most likely because he didn't have to try to break up a fight between a pyrokinetic and a projective telepathic- a fight that would've been over as soon as it began, without any effort on Nino's part. Masaki liked Matsujun well enough, but he had no illusions about how well he would hold up against Nino, who’d cut his teeth on wiping the floor with powerful ESPers.

Taking shameless advantage of the situation, Masaki steadily increased the obscenity levels of the noises he was making, grinning at the way it steadily made everyone (except Nino) more and more uncomfortable.

"Masaki, you sound like a bad porn flick," Nino finally interjected, when the noises Masaki were making reached maximum obscenity levels. Oh-chan's eyes had been progressively widening, blinking repeatedly at Masaki like he'd been hit by a two-by-four. Matsujun and Sho-chan looked _amazingly_ uncomfortable, and Masaki was almost tempted to ignore Nino’s warning, just to see how much further he could make them cringe.

But even he couldn’t deny that he was kind of at the limits of his creativity, and Masaki admitted defeat with an innocent smile that elicited an amused smirk from Nino, who didn't buy it for a second. It was understandable- after all, the 'golly gosh, did little old _me_ do something wrong?' expression was one that both of them used on a regular basis. People tended to buy Masaki’s version more, though- a phenomenon he’d explained to Nino multiple times as being a result of the _‘devious look in your eyes, Nino, maybe try to look less like you’re cataloguing their weaknesses?’_

After Masaki settled down, there wasn’t much for anybody to do but wait. The headmaster kept them in suspense, typically, before he chose to come in at his own time, startling the room out of its quiet.

Nino didn't waste any time. "You're _late_ ," he snapped immediately, slipping his cellphone into his pocket, "by _twenty minutes_. You do realise that we have more important things to get to?"

Masaki smiled fondly at his friend’s predictable annoyance- and at Matsujun and Sho-chan’s disapproving glances.

"If you're going to set up a meeting, the least you could do was _show up on time_ ," he continued, voice even. He smiled at Johnny, who looked back inscrutiably. The others, excluding Masaki, looked varying levels of shocked at his unrepentant disregard, not realising that his was the norm for all of their conversations.

"I apologise. My work took longer than necessary," the headmaster said.

Nino snorted, "Tell that to someone who actually gives a shit about your excuses, _headmaster_. All of us are here, and you've kept us waiting for long enough. You've completed your little collection- get whatever you want to do over with, so we don't have to waste any more of our time."

"Got somewhere to go, Ninomiya?" Matsujun asked, and Masaki couldn't help but admire the guts of a guy who was apparently scared enough of Nino to not meet his eyes, but not scared enough to backtalk him. Masaki couldn't quite figure out if that dissonance spoke of bravery- or stupidity. "It's not as if you ever show up to class."

Nino’s eyes went wide. "Oh, I forgot! _Classes_ are the most important thing in life, obviously, how could I not have realised it? Thank you so much for showing me the light, Matsumoto-sama!"

Masaki gave him a thumbs-up, grinning gleefully. Now _this_ kind of escalation he had no problem with- not with the headmaster in here, Matsujun would _never_ dare to do anything serious in this kind of situation (and as much as he would deny it, neither would Nino, if only so that he could go about his business with minimal distractions).

"Nice face!" he said, and Nino rolled his eyes fondly. Out of the corner of his eye, Masaki could see Sho-chan lean over to put a restraining hand on Matsujun's shaking shoulder. Masaki noted the interaction, seriously considering talking to him and telling him not to be so... _easy_ , around Nino. People with short tempers typically didn't do too well around his friend.

Johnny tapped a finger on his desk, drawing their attention to him again, smiling enigmatically in a way that even Masaki found annoying.

"There are things I need to inform you about, if you're going to accept my offer." he said pleasantly, and pulled out a paper envelope from his suit jacket.

He approached them, then, holding the envelope out. Matsujun was the first person he reached, and the boy obediently stuck his hand in the bag.

He pulled out an armband, bright purple, with the kanji _Arashi_ stitched on in silver thread. Masaki buried his instinctive start, managing to flinch only slightly at the oddly familiar sight. His eyes lingered on the armband.

_"Matsujun can be purple, 'cos purple is super fancy and Matsujun is kinda princely-”_

Was it a coincidence? If it was, it was a hell of one- Masaki felt a shiver go up his spine, and saw Ohno stiffen, less subtly, at Nino’s other side. Nino doesn't give any sign that he noticed his seatmates’ reactions, but Masaki had no doubts he’d be receiving an interrogation later.

" _Arashi_ ," Matsujun murmured, something like reverence coloring his tone, "A storm?"

"It seemed...fitting." Johnny said, not elaborating.

Sho-chan was next, and he pulled out a bright red armband, looking at it with equal parts thoughtfulness and awe. Masaki carefully slotted another piece into place. Oh-chan pulled out a band of rich blue, and immediately started turning it over and looking at it from every angle, eyes glancing over Masaki as they shared a confirmation- two may have been coincidence, but _this_? This definitely was not.

When Johnny reached Nino, next, he shoved his hand into the envelope unceremoniously, eyes locked on Johnny rather than the container. His eyes didn't leave the headmaster's for a second, not even glancing at the armband he pulled out as the older man walked away.

"Pretty," Oh-chan commented, leaning his chin on Nino's shoulder and plucking the spoils from his hand. There was a current in his voice of suspicion in his voice, and Masaki had to push down the urge to tell the boy not to be so _obvious_ , couldn't he see the headmaster right there? But then- he couldn't fault him for his worry, not when he was focused on Nino’s bright, canary-yellow armband with the same heavy dread that Masaki felt in the pit of his stomach.

Johnny was in front of him, then, holding out the large envelope with a benevolent smile on his face.

 _If that’s how he wants to play this._ Masaki thought, half grim, half amused. Johnny may have more years under his belt, but Masaki wasn’t friends with Nino for nothing- he had a _killer_ poker face. He grinned back, and reached into the envelope without hesitation.

"Look at mine!" Masaki announced cheerfully, any hint of suspicion completely disguised as he pulled out a bright green band. _Two can play at this game._

"Will we wear these all the time?" Sho-chan asked.

"These bands will indicate your position in Judgement, and will allow you access and leeway in certain areas. You don't have to wear them all the time, but they are required for missions." Johnny explained, "I would suggest that you carry these around with you at all times."

Masaki couldn't help sharing a slow, wicked smile with Nino at that, turning over the implications in his mind.

Johnny went back to his desk and pulled out five metallic earpieces and watches, handing them out to the teens.

"The earpieces allow you to keep in contact with each other at all times- it's set to a frequency which is only open to you five. Even I don't have the abilities to listen into your frequency."

Masaki seriously doubted that. He wasn't as instinctively suspicious of the headmaster as Nino was - not saying much, as he was pretty sure Nino had a monopoly on paranoia, especially concerning the headmaster - but even he couldn't imagine Johnny being lenient enough to let his team run around freely. He was pretty sure that, as soon as was possible, Nino would’ve made his and Masaki's earpieces open to another, more secure frequency. Maybe even for the others, if Masaki asked nicely enough, though he wasn't sure if Sho-chan or, oh god, Matsujun, would be super open to going against the headmaster’s (implicit) orders.

"Your watches should be kept on you at all times, as that is how we will be contacting you for your missions. You will be expected to complete these missions in a timely fashion."

Nino raised an eyebrow, and Sho actually _raised his hand_.

"Sir?" he said, "What would be the basis used to determine if we're completing missions in a 'timely fashion'?"

"It depends on the mission level," Johnny replied, and Nino didn't give him any time before shooting off a question of his own.

"And how often will we be getting missions, anyways? Wouldn't want them to interfere with school, after all."

Even Ohno snorted at that.

"Your missions will be given at the frequency at which they occur, so I can't give you a definite schedule."

Matsujun frowned, looking as close to being displeased at Johnny as he seemed be be physically capable of.

"What if we miss classes? Or an exam?" he asked, and Masaki saw Nino taking in a breath. He poked him in the arm at that, trying to ward off another fight - he wanted to _go_ , already! - and Nino glared back. Masaki was unruffled, having become immune to Nino's death glares a long time ago.

"Your teachers will make allowances for your absences," Johnny soothed, and Masaki noticed Sho-chan looking at the headmaster in a surprisingly contemplative way. The look in his eyes almost echoed the suspicion that Masaki himself felt, and he made note of the surprising behavior, wondering what would’ve caused a prize scholarship student to become so distrustful of the venerable headmaster.

There was a small movement from his side, and Masaki glanced out of the corner of his eye to find Nino with a familiar look of practiced - totally fake - attention by his side. He sighed internally- apparently, Nino thought that he’d heard everything he needed to, and had mentally flown off somewhere to do- business. Now Masaki would have to cover for him _and_ fill him in later.

“All you need to do, now that you’ve decided to accept my offer, is to formalize your acceptance with these.” He rummaged in his desk, and pulled out a sheaf of papers. “Standard employment contracts, so that you understand the risks and responsibilities you’re taking on as a member of Judgement. Feel free to look them over and talk to me about any shortgivings you may have- so long as it’s before tomorrow morning.”

 _Cutting it a bit close_ , Masaki thought, and leant a bit closer to Nino to make the impression of them listening attentively. Not that he needed to- everyone but Ohno seemed to be completely entranced by Johnny, and he trusted Oh-chan not to spill.

Johnny began handing them out, and, as if on cue, Nino blinked back into awareness with no more indication than a new awareness in his eyes.

 _Masami_ , he mouthed to Masaki, and Masaki tilted his head down slightly in response. Nino could tell him about it later.

Masaki turned back to the contracts, looking over how everybody was reacting to its contents. Sho was looking at it with a true businessman's child's mind, scanning the document like he actually understood everything written in the minuscule font. It was probably for confidentiality and absolving the school of any responsibility for any crime-fighting damages. When the contract reached him, he skimmed over the contract, eyes looking over the predictably incomprehensible words. It didn't matter much- he'd already made his decision, and it wasn't as if he and Nino wouldn't do whatever they wanted anyways, regardless of any scribbles on a piece of paper. That was what they always did.

When Johnny got the paper back, he smiled benignly at them.

"Welcome to Judgement, boys," he said, looking far too pleased. "I look forward to seeing what you'll do."


	4. Nino (i)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HBD Nino, the light of my days. Here's a two-for-one to celebrate his existence.

It was a few days before they got their first message on their watches, and that was apparently more than enough time for the entire school to find out who the headmaster had chosen for his team. High school rumor vines were a  _ bitch _ .

Nino wasn't a stranger to being the focus of negative attention, but he'd been used to attention veering more towards the 'terrified-and-avoid' kind- the kind that was convenient for him, and so Nino had encouraged it, even starting some rumors himself. But now the fear had transformed into something else- more curious, more angry, and it really wasn't much of a surprise when he found himself cornered in the shadows of the courtyard.

"Why the  _ hell _ would Johnny choose someone like  _ you _ ?" one of the idiots hissed, pushing Nino against a wall by his neck. So his power was super strength, then.

His lackey nodded, "You're just a menace- a  _ monster _ . They should've put you in a  _ cage _ , not let you out with  _ civilised society _ ."

Nino rolled his eyes, "Civilised society? A  _ menace _ ? What are you, Victorian schoolboys?"

His mocking got him a punch to the face- lovely, looks like they were the actions over words type, then. He sighed through the blood in his mouth and tilted his head, catching their eyes in his and stilling them with a glance.

_ Step back _ , he ordered the leader, and smiled when a familiar look of horror started coloring all of their faces. He could feel them trying to move at the edge of his mind, but it was impossible to break his orders without his permission- at least, it was impossible for people on their level. Controlling people without stepping in their minds was as easy as breathing for him now, especially from this distance. He let out a humorless laugh, telepathically pushing them out of the way and walking past them easily.

"You know, I would've just walked away," he said casually, turning his head back to face them, hands in his pockets, "But you just  _ had  _ to hit me."

He turned his back then, raising a arm in farewell.

"Oh, and one more thing? At least  _ try _ to put up mental shields when you dipshits want to mess with someone like me. I mean, it wouldn't have helped, but at least you might've felt less pathetic."

He felt their hysteria at the back of his mind, and put up a block between  _ their _ emotions and _ his _ from the ease of practice. He'll let them go once they're far enough away, and the memory of this incident will probably deter them from trying to mess with him again. Hopefully, they'll start enough rumors that everyone else will take the hint to leave him alone, though he wasn't holding his breath.

* * *

Masaki was waiting for him at the front gates- or, more accurately, half-sprawled on the topmost branches of a tree beside the gate. It too tall and bare of branches for any human to climb, but a breeze for a teleporter. He was reaching for what looked like a shoelace hanging from a branch - god knows why - and precariously close to falling. Nino briefly had one of those moments when he questioned his sanity for putting up with Masaki, and the boy's idiosyncratic quirks, for so long. The flare of warmth that he felt at seeing him in a ridiculous position in a tree reminded him that, as much as he loathed to admit it, he really was dangerously attached to the other- his only friend, the stubborn, loyal idiot.

"Masaki!" he called, shaking off the fondness, and Masaki whipped around to face him, losing his balance in the movement and falling off the tree.

"That was super dangerous, Nino!" he scolded, feet hitting the ground beside Nino with a brief movement of air, "I could've- what  _ happened _ ? Your  _ face _ !"

Nino turned away slightly, his split lips stinging as they twisted into a sardonic smile. "Some of our lovely classmates weren't happy with Johnny's choice in guard dogs."

"They hit you just because of that? Why would they  _ do _ something like that?" Masaki said, a tan hand gently tilting Nino's bruised cheek towards him, hissing at what would probably become a truly impressive bruise, and the swell of Nino's split lip. Nino winced a little at the pressure, but allowed the other boy's fretting, smiling wanely at Masaki's worry. This was one of the reasons Masaki was such a good person- that he never understood why anyone would want to hurt others, even when he spent all his time with  _ Nino _ , of all people.

"Apparently, I'm not exactly the first face that comes to mind when you think of 'Enforcer', didn't you know?" he explained, patting Masaki's elbow placatingly when the other's protective fury began to bleed through into his expression- he felt a little awkward, not being used to being the  _ placater _ rather than the  _ placatee _ .  "Don't worry, I took care of it."

"This won't make them like you any more," Masaki fretted, eyebrows furrowed in distress, "You should try to be nicer!"

Nino frowned at him- "When did this become  _ my _ problem? They were the ones who weren't playing 'nice'. They should've known that I'd retaliate if they mess with me- it's not as if I have a reputation for being particularly easy to push around."

"I know, I know- I'm not saying it's your fault! I'm just saying that maybe if you  _ talked _ to them-"

Nino felt a swell of irritation, because as much as Masaki believed in the inherent kindness of others, he also had an unrealistic belief in Nino's capacity for benevolence; which was to say, that he had  _ any _ .

"When?" he snapped, "When they were trying to break my nose? You know I don't make  _ friends _ ."

Masaki slung an arm around his waist, then, warm and stubborn and affectionate.

"Except for me," Masaki said, and the smile directed at him was like sunshine in winter- surprising and comforting in its warmth, yet sad, somehow. "me and Oh-chan."

"You two are exceptions," Nino whispered, curling into Masaki naturally, like the way he'd wanted to with Ohno. "I felt bad for you, that's all."

He let Masaki transport them to their apartment, leaning into each other on their worn, comfortable couch, and closed his eyes, ignoring the part of him that whispered  _ 'isn't it the other way around?' _

* * *

After that, the rumors spread as Nino predicted, and the amount of confrontational glares directed his way decreased exponentially. He didn't doubt that the rumor mill was still alive and buzzing, though, albeit away from him.

He didn't interact with his other teammates much, apart from Masaki and Ohno. He figured that they could always come to him if there was anything important- though he doubted that they had anything important enough to concern him. They would pass each other occasionally in the school, whenever Nino deigned to actually go, and would nod in acknowledgement at each other before going on with their days.

With Masaki, their schedules didn't really change- they still stuck together, joking around and keeping control over the pulse of the city. Masaki never asked Nino about why he decided to join Judgement, and the quiet brooding he'd done after Masaki'd explained to him the significance of the colors of the armbands. In return, Nino never commented about Masaki's frequent teleportations, never asking where he'd go or what he was doing. This implicit trust was the way they worked, the foundations on which their friendship was built. They both trusted that the other would tell him about anything that either of them needed to hear when it became necessary.

Nino and Ohno didn't shift their relationship much, either. They still met most mornings and talked quietly together until one of them had to leave. They never talked about Judgement, though Nino had once came into the room to find Ohno doodling intensely on his armband.

They didn't talk about the armbands, and Nino's distrust of Johnny, though he suspected that Ohno was perfectly proficient at reading between the lines.

"Nice, but I'm pretty sure our fearless leaders didn't intend for these to used as canvases." Nino commented, flopping down beside him and peering over his shoulder. The older boy was turning the deep blue of his armband intp a seascape, dappled with colorful fish and foam waves.

"No-one will take you seriously with that, you know," he said, raising an eyebrow.

Ohno shrugged, fingers focused on drawing a bright orange fish, "I like the sea."

Nino laughed, leaning closer to the older boy, "God, you're such a weirdo," he said, allowing the fondness to seep into his voice.

"Nino isn't carrying his armband," Ohno stated, his words coming off as a question, and finally lifted his head to meet Nino's eyes. It was strange, how gratifying it was to make Ohno look at him like that, to make the normally spacy gaze focus on  _ him _ , rather than on his paintings or his food. Nino had never been particularly fond of being in the centre of someone's attention, but Ohno was different, somehow. It unnerved him, the way he felt helpless to resist the way he compulsively pushed the older boy's boundaries. He took a breath, stifling the wave of  _ something _ that blurred his vision and hitched at his throat, and shrugged carelessly.

"Most of the school hates me enough without thinking that I'm trying to flaunt my position," he replied, "I'm not exactly a dream choice for them."

He shifted slightly, then, and Ohno's gaze sharpened on him.

"Is that how you got this?" he murmured, long, tan fingers touching the sliver of violet bruising that peeked out from Nino's collar. Nino didn't react- that particular present had been given to him by some seniors who apparently hadn't learned their lesson through the rumor mill. They'd ambushed him in the washroom stall, which was a stupid mistake on Nino's part, really. He'd gotten rid of them easily, but not before they'd announced their presence to him by shoving his collarbone into the hard edges of the sink.

"Like I said, I'm not very popular." he repeated, lips quirking humorlessly. Ohno's eyes darkened in a way that Nino had never seen before, in a way that Nino never wanted to see from the gentle boy.

"They shouldn't do things like that," he said, quietly serious. Nino laughed.

"People rarely act the way they  _ should _ ," he said, cheerful. "It's alright, Oh-chan, I've had worse."

He knew it was a mistake the second he said it, and sighed slightly at the horror that colored the older boy's expression.

"You shouldn't, though," he said, "get hurt like this."

Nino's laugh at that was genuine. "Don't be ridiculous, you know that this won't the worst injury I'll get, considering our new jobs."

"That's different," Ohno insisted, "I'll be with you, then. We'll all be with you."

"I doubt that Sakurai or Matsumoto would go out of their way to protect me."

"You're underestimating them. And besides, you have Aiba-chan, don't you? And I'll be there."

_ "You should always stay with me, then," _ Nino wanted to stay, but swallowed the words before they escaped his mouth. He smiled reassuringly, instead, and bumped their shoulders together.

"It doesn't matter, Oh-chan, I'll be fine." he said, trying to be reassuring in a way that he was wildly unused to. He shifted his body, then, and tilted their foreheads together, smiling sweetly at the other.

Then, he dug his fingers into Ohno's sides mercilessly, making the older boy squawk inelegantly and effectively ending their conversation.

* * *

The day after that, Nino's watch began ringing loudly.

Fitting with the theme of everything that came after his agreement to join Judgement, his first mission came at the worst possible time.

"...this result would be beneficial to both parties if-" Masami paused, blinking as the a shrill sound began to be emitted from his wrist. At the same time, Masaki had grabbed his own beeping wrist in a manner that was obviously meant to be (and failing to be) subtle, hissing  _ "Nino,  _ our watches-"

"It looks like our time is up," Nino interrupted smoothly, shutting off the sound with a deft click of his fingers and reaching over casually to do the same for Masaki. He stood up, giving a bow to Masami- she would be suspicious, he was sure, but she wouldn't bring it up until there was something in it for her.

He gave her a boyish smirk, waving a hand in dismissal.

"We'll send you the coordinates tomorrow, you should find your stash there."

He didn't give her a chance to answer before he grabbed Masaki's hand, popping to the headmaster's office in the a heartbeat. The others, gratifyingly, were already there. Jun and Sho both looking harried and Ohno as placid as ever.

"Next time, we need to set a meeting spot," Sho said, "It's pure luck that we all happened to come here."

"Later," Jun said, and it was a testament to his excitement that he would contradict his senior at all, "do you know what our mission is?"

"A low-level psychic burglar," Nino replied, rolling his eyes as everyone turned to stare at him.

A pale blue holographic screen was projecting from his watch, and Nino was scrolling down lazily, eyes flickering up and down.

"How did you-" Sho started.

"Didn't any of you actually bother to figure out how this stuff  _ works _ ?" Nino said, a mocking smile stretched over his face, "I would've thought that our resident  _ scholars _ would be able to figure something as simple as this out."

Before anyone (Jun) could snap back, he turned of the screen with a flick of his wrist and turned to them with a raised eyebrow, "So? Are you coming? Because I have the coordinates and I'm pretty sure it won't look great for our  _ records _ if we miss the guy."

He held out a hand with all the arrogance of someone familiar with his actions, and Masaki took his hand without hesitation, grabbing Jun's clenched fist with his other hand. Nino grabbed Ohno's hand, twining their fingers, and Sho hesitantly wrapped a hand around Masaki's elbow.

"Hang on tight!" Masaki advised cheerfully, and Sho's hand tightened nervously. Jun's scowl was replaced by excitement, and he grinned almost as widely as Masaki.

"Here we go!"


	5. Nino (II)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love this boy

The next thing Nino was aware of was his feet hitting the concrete. They were in front of a bank, chaos all around them as people tried to take pictures and run away, the police taping off the area in futile. He stepped away from Masaki, used to the moment of disorientation that came with Masaki's abilities. The others, apparently, were not so lucky. Ohno had stumbled slightly, slightly dazed-looking but didn't seem otherwise fazed by the sudden shift. Jun, on the other hand, winced, pale face going sallow and hand clutching Masaki's to prevent a truly embarrassing fall. He tried to stand up as if nothing had happened, but Nino could hear him swallow back the wave of nausea at the change in orientation, and smiled to himself. Sho's reaction was even more dramatic, the older boy immediately going onto his knees- surprising, Nino would've thought that he would've had more experience with teleporters. He groaned slightly, staggering back to his feet by bracing himself on Masaki.

Nino took his focus off of them, looking towards the gaping hole on the sidewall of the bank. Spreading his consciousness, he scanned the everyone in the area.

"Considering how he escaped," Jun was saying, "their power is obviously destructive."

Sho kneeled on one knee at the wall, touching a piece of fallen debris. "He's...approximately 175 centimetres, tan, blue contacts, dark hair, muscular." he said, voice distant, "He...isn't overly powerful. Ability is energy projection. He broke the wall with a blast of energy - level 3, at most, which means that it's unlikely that he's any higher. He went...that way."

He pointed a finger, and Jun clicked  his tongue.

" _ Damn _ it," he swore, "that's the way to a main street. Who knows what kind of shit he could cause in a crowd? Panicked?"

"I'll go look for him!" Masaki announced, flickering away in the next moment.

"Aiba-  _ fuck _ ! What the hell does he think he'll  _ do _ ?"

Sho looked panicked, "We've just lost a member, and we don't know how far our target's gotten-"

"Nope," Nino interrupted cheerfully, as his mind swept upon the mind he was looking for, "I know  _ exactly _ where our target is."

* * *

"Are you sure you're going the right way?" Jun asked for the  _ n _ th time as they ran down a street as per Nino's instructions. Nino couldn't help the roll of his eyes.

"For fuck's sake-  _ yes _ ! I'm tracking him telepathically. So unless he's been beheaded- which would be a neat solution to our problem, anyways - I know exactly where he is!"

"Well,  _ excuse me _ for not wanting to go on a wild goose hunt!" Jun snapped, and Sho's voice piped up from the back.

"That's him!"

The man Sho was pointing to matched his description perfectly, down to the electric blue eyes. He was running away furiously, a bulging knapsack slung over his shoulder. Jun didn't hesitate- flinging a hand, he flung a hand out and sent a column of flame towards the man, too quickly for Sho's sharp  _ "No!" _

It was too late, and the blast of heat flew through the street. It dissipated to reveal a line of mildly charred road, the only clear spot a man holding up a shield that seemed to be made of a faint silver light.

"Tch," Jun snapped, "I shouldn't have held back."

He held up his hand again, and Sho stepped forward, hand half-stretched already. Ohno was there first, to everyone's surprise, a tan hand curled over the younger man's bony wrist. Nino blinked, and was shocked to find himself forcing his body from pulling Ohno away from Jun, an instinctive, protective action.

"Jun-kun," the short man was saying, voice soft and utterly calm, "We still need to find Aiba-chan."

Jun blinked at him- "What does that have to do with-"

"Got him!" Nino announced, channeling all his unprovoked fury into a savage smile. His eyes were locked on the knapsacked man's, the other frozen in place, face shocked. Jun and Sho startled, whipping their gazes to stare at Nino, then the robber. Nino tilted his head slightly, and the man's shield dissipated, leaving him to walk to Nino obediently, hands out, wrists together.

Turning his eye to look at the others, pale and shocked, Nino smiled sweetly.

"So, does anyone have handcuffs, or do I have to do everything around here?"

* * *

As it turned out, Sho did.

( _ "I work with the police! _ " he'd insisted weakly, as Nino leered wickedly at him.)

They walked back to the school more or less intact, their target swearing violently as he swung between Sho and Jun, who  _ had _ to be leaving bruises with the white-knuckled hold he was using. Nino called Masaki and told him where they were, and a sheepish Masaki was walking in step with them a moment later, being punched in the arm by an irritated-looking Jun.

"Well," Sho said awkwardly, "It...could've gone worse."

As if on cue, the man elbowed Sho, causing the boy to yelp.

Nino rolled his eyes from his place beside Ohno. " _ Down _ , boy," he said calmly, and the man fell limp in his place, unconscious.

Sho and Jun looked over at him with varying mixes of wariness, shock and fear. Nino brushed off their expressions with the ease of long practise, and talked to Sho as if nothing had happened.

"Please," he said, "in one mission, we let our target get away, had one member run off on his own, wasted way too much time chasing the guy, and J here managed the feat of simultaneously almost managing to kill an entire street of citizens  _ and _ causing enough property damage to impress Godzilla."

Jun's fists clenched tightly as glared at Nino poisonously enough to kill. Sho frowned disapprovingly at Nino, before seeming to notice exactly  _ who _ he was glaring at and choosing the better part of valor by redirecting his gaze to the ground. Masaki rolled his eyes, too used to Nino to take offense at his sharp words. Ohno reached out and touched Nino's arm lightly, catching his gaze. They looked at each other in silence, facial features barely changing, before Nino let out an an overdramatic sigh.

"What _ ever _ , at least you didn't  _ actually  _ hurt anyone, Matsumoto- not that you  _ could _ , considering how soft you are."

Ohno smiled gently at Jun, who'd looked torn between being insulted at Nino's blatant insult and being confused at Nino's almost-not-really-an-apology.

"Jun-kun tried his best, right? And you didn't let him," he waved a arm at the arm Jun had a grip on, "get away."

"Except the part where it was all me," Nino commented lightly, and sent a glare Masaki's way when the other boy drove an 'you're-ruining-the-mood' elbow into his side.

Walking with these people, Nino staunchly refused to acknowledge how it felt almost, a little, maybe like having friends.

After all, it wasn't as if he  _ trusted _ half of these people- even Ohno, when it came down to it. He was here for a purpose, not to make nice.

* * *

"Good work," Johnny said, standing before them in his office. Nino settled back unhappily into the couch, body already buzzing with the familiar need to get  _ away _ , the bone-deep desire to be anywhere but where he was. Masaki, seeing his increasing irritability, raised his eyebrow questioningly. Nino shook his head slightly, telling him that he would be able to bear it out.

"Judgement was impressed with your work," he continued, "you passed."

Sho blinked- " _ 'Test' _ ?"

Johnny smiled at him, "Yes, a test. It's customary for Judgement to send out one of their own to pose as a target for new teams so that they can determine their skill levels."

There was a moment of silence as the team digested his words, and Jun suddenly went pale.

"You mean I almost- an  _ Enforcer _ ?"

Nino rolled his eyes, "Don't be stupid, if he was in any real danger, he wouldn't have been chosen for this assignment. He's a level 4 energy-user; you don't need to worry about him."

"How would you know?" Jun asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Nino looked at him impatiently.

"I read his mind when I controlled him, duh," he answered.

"And you didn't  _ tell _ us?" Jun demanded, voice rising.

"I didn't think you needed to know," Nino replied easily, and Sho looked at him disapprovingly. Nino smiled sweetly back, because protecting his teammates' delicate feelings was nowhere near the top of his priority list, and Sho ducked his head nervously once more. Wimp.

"Nonetheless," Johnny said, talking over them easily, "You passed the preliminary tests, and now you are ready to take on real missions."

He paused, then, and said lightly, "And just another thing, the team registar required that I put down a team leader, so I put Ohno down, since he's the oldest."

That got everyone's attention, all of them staring at him as if he were an alien creature. Ohno's eyes were huge and uncomprehending, looking like someone'd just gave him a run in a spin machine.

Johnny just kept smiling, "I could always change it at a later date, if needed."

Nino regarded him for a few moments, considering, then shrugged deliberately.

"I don't mind," he told him, smiling sweetly even as Ohno's head whipped around to stare at him, "it's not like I'd follow some tightass' orders anyways, so Oh-chan's leading style's perfect for me."

"Eh?" Ohno said, but the others looked thoughtful.

"Well, if Johnny says it's a good idea..." Jun agreed, "and Ohno-san  _ is _ the oldest."

Ohno looked like he was get whiplash at the speed of his head spins, and his eyes almost looked bigger than his face.

"Oh-chan looks like a captain!" Masaki exclaimed nonsensically, as if that made any sense whatsoever. Ohno made half a protesting noise, being cut off by Sho's next words.

"I don't have any problems with it," he said, and Ohno turned betrayed eyes on him, looking like the other'd driven the last nail into his coffin.

"But I don't know how to lead anyone!" he insisted, looking crushed when none of the others agreed with him- or even seemed to care.

"It doesn't matter, Leader," Nino said, going for reassuring but probably coming off more smugly amused, "It's only a title, anyways. You don't  _ actually  _ have to lead us."

Ohno stilled slightly, then looked mildly more pacified, though nervousness still lingered in his expression.

"So I take it that you are willing to accept your new team," Johnny told them, more order than question. He seemed satisfied by their answering nods.

Nino narrowed his eyes at the headmaster, mind racing. Why did the man choose Ohno as their leader? Although he had said that it was because of his age, the decision clearly didn't make sense. Anyone with a brain could see that that Ohno wasn't suited for leadership. Sho would've been the obvious choice- or Jun, even. Out of the five of them, Ohno was possibly the least suited towards being a leader- was Johnny aiming to destroy their team dynamics from within via shitty leadership? Or did he see something in Ohno that none of the rest of them did? The first option raised more questions, but the thought of the second was... _ galling _ , somehow. It made Nino irritated in a way that pricked across his skin and under his nerves.

He gritted his teeth- either way, Johnny knew something that he wasn't sharing with the class, and he was using the five of them as pawns, even if some of them hadn't realised it yet - or worse, didn't even  _ mind _ . That wasn't news. For now, all Nino could do was keep playing his little game while keeping an eye on the man, trying to gather as much information as he can and creating contingency plans for the inevitable fallout.

_ Still _ , Nino thought, leaning his shoulder against Ohno's as they were dismissed and left for the hallways. Ohno leaned back, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

_ This isn't so bad. _

**Author's Note:**

> will update sporadically, because plot what plot.


End file.
